The Altman Close

Land the deals you want and develop your instincts with million-dollar negotiation techniques

After selling over $3 Billion in real estate, including the most expensive one-bedroom house in history, Josh Altman, co-star of the hit show Million-Dollar Listing Los Angeles, wants to teach you the real estate sales and negotiation tactics that have made him one of America’s top agents. Buying or selling a house, whether for a client or yourself, is one of the most important (and most stressful) deals anyone can make, demanding emotional intelligence and a solid set of negotiating skills. But by mastering the same techniques that sell multi-million-dollar homes in Bel Air and Beverly Hills, you can attract buyers and close deals on any property.

Josh breaks down the art of real estate into three simple parts. First, he’ll help you get business in the door during the Opening. Then he takes you step-by-step through the Work: everything between the first handshake and the last. And finally, the Close, the last step that ensures all your hard work pays off as you seal the deal.

• Learn how to open with a prospect, work the deal, close, open, and repeat
• Build and market your reputation, creating more sales opportunities
• Develop the traits of a closer in you and your team
• Drive the deal forward and get the best price for your property by creating desire, scarcity, and demand

Successful real estate sales are driven by the same principles, whether they happen in the Hollywood Hills or just down the street. Josh wants to put those principles, and the techniques for applying them, in your hands. Learn them and discover what you can achieve.

Foreword Robert Herjavec, Shark Tank xi

Preface: Pre-Game Pep Talk xiii

Part I Prep Through Open 1

Chapter 1 Game-Time Mentality 3

Chapter 2 The Players, the Field, the Shot Clock 9

Chapter 3 My First Close 19

Chapter 4 All In with LA Real Estate and BRAVO TV 23

Negotiating Is All 24

Going Hollywood, TV Time 25

Chapter 5 Rules of the Game: First Impressions 31

Impressions Matter 32

10 Rules to Make a Positive First Impression 35

Chapter 6 The Dream Team: You Can’t Do It Alone 39

Chapter 7 Fresh Eyes on the Prize 45

Chapter 8 All About the Open 51

Know More than the ’Hood 52

Watch Your Back 55

Networking and Giving to Get 56

Chapter 9 Open Houses for Clients, Brokers, and Insiders 59

Don’t Tour, Sell 59

Broker’s Opens 61

Insider Opens and Strategic Alliances 62

Chapter 10 Create an In-Your-Face Brand, 24/7 65

Working the Web: Social Media and the Press 66

Give Expert Advice 68

Concierge Extraordinaire 70

Chapter 11 Golden Hammers and 20 Questions for Sellers 73

Shut Up and Listen 73

The Altman 20 (Questions for Sellers) 76

Chapter 12 Size Up the Property: Pricing and Timing 81

Reading the Property: Questions I Ask Myself 82

Let’s Talk Pricing 84

Chapter 13 Close the Open on Sellers: Talk Marketing, then Sign 89

Chapter 14 Close the Open on Buyers: The Altman 12 93

Chapter 15 Off to Work: Take a Breath First 99

Part II The Work 101

Chapter 16 Working with Buyers: Part Chemistry, Part Therapy 103

Assessing Personality Types 104

Analyzing the Buyer 105

Calming the Buyer’s Fears 106

Chapter 17 Strategizing with Sellers: Getting Ready for War 109

The Battle Plan 109

Managing the Troops 111

Chapter 18 Weapons: Listing Language, Interior Design, and Staging 113

A Killer Description 113

Killer Design 115

Staging for Battle 116

Chapter 19 The Killer Combo: Drone and 360° Photos Plus Staging 119

Chapter 20 On the Battlefield: More on Open Houses and Broker’s Opens 125

Who to Invite? 127

Work the Party 128

What About Neighbor(hood)s? 129

Sell Strong Points and Knowledge 130

Chapter 21 Price Drops Are Not Always Downers 133

Chapter 22 Go Win the War 139

Part III The Close 141

Chapter 23 Making an Offer 143

Settling on the Price 144

Inspections and Contingencies 149

More Deal Sweetener Details 152

As for Curve Balls: Play by Your Rules and Get the House 154

Chapter 24 Getting an Offer 157

Chapter 25 Multiple and Counteroffers 161

Negotiating on the Clock 162

No Rules? Use Hammers for Leverage 165

Chapter 26 Psyching Out Business Styles 171

Chapter 27 Putting on the Poker Face 177

The Anger Hammer 177

Know the Classic Hard-Baller Moves 182

Use Confidence to Grab the Hammer 184

Chapter 28 The Walk-Away 187

How to Walk Away 190

Chapter 29 Be a Shark: Eat, Swim, Devour 193

Part IV Plays from the Book 195

Chapter 30 Play #1: Damn, the Studio Head’s Pissed 197

Chapter 31 Play #2: Three Clients, One Property 199

Chapter 32 Play #3: The Middle Men Kings 201

Chapter 33 Play #4: The Most Expensive Garage Ever Sold 203

Chapter 34 Play #5: The Paramedics of Real Estate 207

Chapter 35 The Final Play: Confession 209

Acknowledgments 213

About the Author 215

Index 217

JOSH ALTMAN is the co-star of the hit reality TV show Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles. He is one of the most successful real estate agents in the United States, specializing in the luxury housing markets of Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and the Hollywood Hills. With his older brother Matt, Josh created the Altman Brothers, a one-stop real estate firm that provides buyers and sellers with exclusive white-glove, VIP treatment.

The Altman Close—written by Josh Altman of television's hit show, Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles—offers an insider's look at what it takes to close big deals fast, at the level of one of America's top-selling real estate agents. You will learn the secrets of how Altman prepares, negotiates, and closes his deals, while, making money . . . lots of money.

No matter where your business is located (Abu Dhabi or Arkansas), you can learn to adopt the negotiating skills and develop the emotional intelligence to become a master real estate "closer." Once you develop a "closer" mentality, you will consistently make the kind of dazzling deals others only dream of.

If you are a real estate agent, investor, buyer, or sales pro ready to take your game to the next level, this is the book you've been waiting for. The Altman Close explains the same approach Josh Altman uses to sell billions of dollars' worth of mansions in Bel Air and Beverly Hills, and how to apply it to your deals.

The book is divided into three parts. First, the OPENING: you will learn how to build and market your reputation in order to generate the type of ongoing business that reaps big rewards. Next, the WORK: lots of sweat gets generated from first to last handshake. Altman shows how to set the deal up for that one delicious moment you've worked so hard towards. Finally, the CLOSE: this is the heart of the book. Altman reveals the techniques and strategies he uses to drive a deal forward and explains how to get the best price for a property by creating desire, scarcity, and demand.

Josh wrote The Altman Close to give you a kick in the ass. With the right attitude, killer work ethic, and this book as your guide, you can be a million-dollar dealmaker.

LEARN SELLING AND CLOSING TACTICS FROM ONE OF AMERICA'S TOP REAL ESTATE AGENTS

"I know a lot of great real estate agents, and Josh is one of the best. He's a born entrepreneur and a shrewd negotiator who approaches every deal as if he were negotiating with his own money. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their closing skills." SPENCER RASCOFF CEO of Zillow

"I work with some of the best athletes in the world to make sure that they're performing to the best of their ability week in and week out. When Josh sold me my home, it was clear to me that between his preparation, winning mentality, and overall knowledge of the market, he was the key player I needed." SEAN MCVAY NFL Head Coach of the LA Rams

"When it comes to CLOSING you need to be flexible and adapt to the situation. You want to always have your opponent right where you want them. Don't let Josh's smile fool you, he always has you where he wants you."?? BRIAN WILSON Major League Baseball World Series pitcher

"I get pitched business ideas from entrepreneurs all the time on Shark Tank, but rarely do I see someone who can negotiate and close deals like Josh Altman. Josh has earned my trust and is my realtor for life." ROBERT HERJAVEC Shark Tank

"From the moment I wake up ready for battle, from gym to shower to embroidered suit, I am closing a deal. Whether on the street, in a Beverly Hills mansion, or on the sports field, the ball is in my hands, and the clock is counting down. This is what I have prepared for, and the way I've set it up from the first play. I adapt and overcome any obstacles thrown at me. It's all up to me to be a champion. If you don't want the ball in your hands, if the pressure doesn't excite you, then just put this book down and read my previous book – It's Your Move. This book is beyond that. This is the advanced course." —FROM THE PREFACE BY JOSH ALTMAN